Newsmen must unite to protect people’s rights

After several decades the journalist community of Bangladesh has at last taken a united stand demanding arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers of the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi. The community’s leadrs represented both the factions of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists  (BFUJ), the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), the National Press Club and the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) for holding agitation programmes including grand rally, one-hour pen-down protest, wearing black badge and  a six-hour token hunger strike etc. unitedly to press their demand for arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers of the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi. Both Sagar, a news editor of private TV Channel Masranga and his wife Runi, a senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were stabbed to death by unidentified killers at their residence at Rajabazar in the city on 11 February, 2012. 

Guarantee for natural death

The leaders of both the factions of journalist community demanded guarantee for people’s natural death in the rally held on February 22, 2012 in front of the National Press Club. Renowned senior journalists A B M Musa and Nirmal Sen expressed solidarity with them. Mention may be made here that Nirmal Sen wrote in an article [Aami swabhabik mrityur guarantee chai] in 1973 in the now-defunct Bengali daily the Dainik Bangla during Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League regime that people demand guarantee for natural death.

Now, 30 years later, again journalist community has to demand guarantee for natural death, when Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is ruling the country.

After the murder, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that it was not possible for the government to keep guard over “people’s bedrooms”, as reported in the press on February 24, 2012. 

Article 32: Right to Life

Prime Minister’s statement is neither logical nor tenable if we look at the Constitution of Bangladesh which guarantees personal security of each and every citizen of the country.

Under Article 32 of the  Republic’s Protection of Right to Life and Personal Liberty, no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty. Under Article 31: Right to protection of law is the inalienable right of every citizen, wherever he may be.

Our Republic’s Constitution nowhere specifies that the State or government has nothing to do if individuals are killed in bedrooms, drawingrooms, diningrooms, guestrooms, kitchens, washrooms, rooftops, basements, parking spaces, balconies or anywhere else. What is more, the government shall not be able to shirk its responsibility if individuals are killed in forests, hills or in other places.

It has been reported in the media that 14 journalists of national and local newspapers were killed and hundreds of journalists across the country were tortured during the last three years of AL-led grand alliance government, as reported on February 27, 2012 in an English daily. 

Divide and Rule Policy

The British destroyed communal harmony creating division between Hindus and Muslims to establish “Divide and Rule Policy”. The Awami League men claim they are the sole agents of patriotism while others are anti-state elements. They are the sole authority to rule the country while others are not. As such the AL created division by establishing pro-liberation forces and anti-liberation forces to remain in power.

The nation is divided into two broad groups—-‘Bangalee Nationalism’ and ‘Bangladeshi Nationalism’. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, politicians, businessmen, industrialists, government officials, employees, journalists and all other professionals and workers are divided into these two groups.

Before our independence there was only one Federal Union of Journalists. Now there are two groups of BFUJ which is detrimental to the profession. Journalism is a noble profession. The Journalist community is the mirror of the society. The journalist community must remain united in the interest of the nation to defend and protect people’s fundamental rights.

BY :  A M K Chowdhury.

Durrani denies funding BNP

A Bengali proverb advises first to touch one’s own ears to be certain that those are there before running after a hawk that claimed to have taken away the ears.

 

The old saying did not seem to have any effect among the media and the politicians who have been tirelessly hawking for the last couple of weeks over a reported claim that Pakistan’s intelligence service ISI had provided funds to a political party in Bangladesh now in the opposition bench.

 

 It has now turned out to be a hoax and manipulation by a section of the media practitioners and overenthusiastic political leaders when the concerned former ISI chief General Asad Durani who had been quoted to have disclosed in a testimony before Pakistan’s Supreme Court to have paid the money to BNP, but he denied it outright. 

Former chief of ISI Gen. Asad Durani and former chief of Mehran Bank Younus Habib, both appearing before the court categorically denied making any such disclosure that implicated anyone outside Pakistan. 

 

When contacted from Dhaka over telephone on March 22, General Durani told the Holiday: “in my submission before the Pakistan Supreme Court, there was no mention of anything like providing fund to any party outside Pakistan.”

 

He told Holiday that he was sorry to know that some media outside Pakistan had attributed something to him that he did not tell before the Pakistan Supreme Court or to the media which was “falsely attributed” to him. 

Referring to newspaper reports about ISI funding to a Bangladeshi political party, General Durani said it was “a fabricated report based on falsehood” 

 

It may be mentioned there that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina publicly accused the leader of the opposition in the parliament Begum Khaleda Zia of receiving fifty million Pakistan rupees from ISI prior to general election in 1991. It appears obvious that she has based her accusation on the media reports.

 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh foreign minister Dr. Dipu Moni, when asked about the source of the ruling party’s claim of the main opposition party leader receiving ISI money, she openly confessed in a press conference: “What we know is from a report run by the Khaleej Times.”

 

She further said, “We can provide more details after getting the transcript in our hands. This is necessary to be clear about what actually happened. We also need to know what is actually written in the transcript.”

However, the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has refuted the allegation saying confession made by former ISI chief does not include anything about the intelligence organisation funding BNP. 

 

General Durani’s denial also appeared in a Dhaka Bengali daily on Thursday. A Karachi-based reporter of the daily talked to General Durani and filed the report which also mentioned that Drrani did not talk to anybody in The Khaleej Times, the Dubai based English daily that first reported the story of ISI funding BNP on March 3.

 

How did it happen

An Indian English-language daily The Times Assam on March 21 reported that Bangladesh government has been visibly misled by a fabricated report of New Delhi based journalist Dipanjan Roy Chowdhury, who twisted a recent statement of ex-ISI chief Asad Durrani’s testimony before Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

 

The report said: “It was later learnt that Dipanjan Roy Chowdhury was summoned by some top brasses of Research and Analytical Wing (RAW) on March 2, 2012 and was escorted to New Delhi headquarters of the Indian spy agency, wherefrom he wrote the report for Khaleej Times and it was later sent to the Indian-born owners of the Dubai based newspaper with the special instruction of publishing it prominently.” 

 

The Guwahati-based Indian daily further reported that Dipanjan Roy Chowdhury also contributed the story to Indian online newspaper the Daily Mail (March 15, 2012) with an inflated amount of Pakistani Rupees 500 million, though in the Khaleej Times he quoted the ISI boss giving Pakistan Rupees 50 million to BNP.

 

Again on March 16, 2012, the same writer wrote in India Today, saying: “Recently a UAE-based daily had alleged that ISI paid Rs.50 crore to BNP chairperson and former PM Khaleda Zia ahead of the 1991 elections in which the BNP won and formed the government.”

 

Meanwhile, The Times of Assam reported that a copy of the transcript had reached Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad on March 19, 2012 and the copy was subsequently sent to the foreign ministry.

 

BY :  Abdur Rahman Khan.

 

Team effort takes Bangladesh to historic final

Bangladesh made it to the final of the Asia Cup, defying pre-tournament expectations with consecutive victories against their more fancied neighbours. It was only the second time they had reached the finals of a one-day tournament. The bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 232, but rain siphoned off ten overs and reduced the target to 212. The increased asking-rate, 5.30 an over, gave both teams a chance, but enterprising batting by Tamim Iqbal on a spiced-up pitch gave their chase a kickstart. The Bangladesh middle order withstood the pressure and gave the expectant crowd a reason to show up in similar numbers for the final, on Thursday. 

Nasir Hossain proved once again why he is the find of the season for Bangladesh and Tamim put the farce of his earlier non-selection to rest. Nasir's calm half-century partnership with Mahmudullah ensured Bangladesh did not implode in the rush for a quick finish. The sea of green jerseys in the crowd were rewarded for staying in their seats even as Sri Lanka clawed back. Many clasped their hands in prayer once Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket, Shakib Al Hasan, but the temperament of the sixth-wicket pair showed why Bangladesh could start the finals not as underdogs, but contenders. India, waiting on the result of this game, will be headed home.

Sri Lanka were pegged back at the very beginning, when another Hossain, Nazmul, coming in for the injured Shafiul Islam, nipped out three top-order wickets. The middle order, led by Chamara Kapugedera, gave the innings some respectability, but were not able to post a challenging score on a ground on which two big chases had already been completed in the tournament.

A mid-innings downpour gave the pitch the kind of zip missing during the afternoon. Lasith Malinga tested the top order with bouncers that fizzed past the helmet, while Nuwan Kulasekara got the ball to swerve in to the right-handers to castle Nazimuddin and flummox the captain Mushfiqur Rahim.

Bangladesh were three down for 40, but the passage of play was punctuated by some blistering strokeplay by Tamim. His balance and follow-through were exemplary, especially in his driving through the off side. Mahela Jayawardene tried to plug that gap with a short point, and later with two fielders up close at cover and extra cover, but Tamim was not deterred. He lofted one over the covers and then whipped consecutive boundaries through midwicket, showing his class on both sides of the wicket. 

Shakib, after passing a tough test against some short bowling, settled in and crashed Suranga Lakmal for three consecutive boundaries through the off side. Tamim reached his half-century with a clip for four off Farveez Maharoof, and his pleasing strokeplay won the applause of the country's premiere Sheikh Hasina, also in attendance. He was dropped by Sachitra Senanayake, after lobbing a simple chance back to the bowler, but Senanayake finally got his man when an uppish slash was taken at point. Tamim walked back to a hush from the expectant crowd, with their hopes pinned on Shakib.

Shakib's battle with Senanayake was a compelling one. Shakib got on top of him initially with boundaries over extra cover, but once the bowler shortened his length, Shakib looked edgy. Unsure of the bounce, he stabbed at two consecutive deliveries and nearly lobbed both for catches. Senanayake got one to skid through and trapped him in front of leg stump to give Sri Lanka hope, with the hosts still 77 runs adrift.

Sri Lanka were guilty of easing the pressure on the batsmen by feeding them balls full on the pads, which were clipped away to fine leg. Nasir and Mahmudullah kept out the inswinging yorkers, did not panic when they played the ball to the fielders, and calmly picked up singles. Tillakaratne Dilshan was brought on after the quicks failed to take wickets, but the pair didn't change their approach. A firm push by Nasir was parried by mid-on to the boundary, leading to wild celebrations and a victory lap. 

The win was set up by Nazmul, who removed the power trio of Jayawardene, Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara. Jayawardene missed a straight one, Dilshan chopped a delivery onto his stumps and Sangakkara spooned a catch to extra cover, bringing an end to an indifferent season with the bat for him.

Bangladesh came out with a sense of purpose, fielding with intent after winning the toss. They were aided by a surface which, though not the same used for the India-Pakistan game, appeared slower and suited their crop of bowlers. The medium-pacers bowled several slower deliveries to tighten the noose on the run-rate.

Kapugedera and Lahiru Thirimanne added 88 for the fourth wicket, but one of them needed to bat through the innings to set a competitive target. Upul Tharanga made a breezy fifty, but not for the first time since his demotion, he had to repair the damage done upfront, again raising questions about the structure of the batting line-up. 

Kapugedera, under pressure to keep his place, made good use of his promotion, using his feet to the spinners. A stroke of luck, though, gave Bangladesh the breakthrough when Thirimanne missed a nudge off Abdur Razzak and was stumped after the ball deflected off Mushfiqur's pads onto the stumps.

Tharanga's arrival perked up the scoring, as he punished a wayward Shahadat Hossain for three quick boundaries. Kapugedera managed a face-saving half-century, but his innings was cut short by a sharp reflex-catch by Shakib at extra cover. Shakib struck with the ball soon after, getting two wickets. Boundaries by the lower order pushed Sri Lanka to 232, but one could sense that was always going to be inadequate.

It ended a mixed season for a travel-weary Sri Lanka, following the highs of Australia. Not too long ago, India were at their hotel rooms in Brisbane, hoping for a Sri Lankan defeat to push them into the CB Series finals. This time in a hotel not far from the ground, they were ironically hoping for a Sri Lankan win. There were no back-door entries for a team which has suffered its worst away season in recent history. 

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Dhaka won't pull out of UN court: Dipu Moni

Bangladesh will not withdraw from the UN court to have bilateral solution to maritime boundary dispute with India, says the foreign minister.

"We can always discuss the issue bilaterally with our neighbour, but we will not withdraw from the court for the sake of discussion," Dipu Moni said at a press briefing on Monday.

Bangladesh moved the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2009 to settle the maritime boundary dispute with India. On Mar 14, in a verdict over similar dispute with Myanmar, the UN court awarded Bangladesh 111,000 square kilometers of area in the Bay of Bengal.

"We cannot settle the dispute bilaterally and that's why we went to the court," Moni said.

The minister said she and Indian high commissioner Pankaj Saran had discussed the issue, but in the meeting he did not propose for bilateral discussion.

She, however, said if they want to have bilateral talks, Bangladesh is open to it.

OFFSHORE BLOCKS

The minister said the authorities concerned would determine the offshore blocks for exploration in the Bay.

"We cannot explore the blocks that was fixed earlier as they do not belong to us," she said.

"We want to have a just solution without hurting the legitimate interests of our neighbours."

Additional foreign secretary Khurshed Alam said now it is possible to redefine the blocks that belong to Bangladesh.

GOOD TIES WITH MYANMAR

This is a great victory for both the countries as now the long-standing dispute stands resolved, Moni said.

"With this verdict the friendly relationship with Myanmar would move forward leaving the dispute behind," she hoped.

The minister informed that the verdict in dispute with India is to be delivered in 2014. 

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Hitler 'had plans to rule world from Hollywood'

German dictator Adolf Hitler had a secret Nazi ranch near Hollywood in Los Angeles in the US state of California from where he intended to rule the world had his country won World War II, say historians.

Built by US sympathisers of the Nazi cause, Hilter's Murphy Ranch was tucked away in the idyllic Los Angeles hills between celebrity mansions and olive trees.

In fact, it was the heavily guarded home to a community of 50 Hollywood fascists who had planned to ride out the war there until the Third Reich was victorious, according to the historians.

The day after Pearl Harbour was bombed on December 7, 1941, police raided the place and took away its occupants.

Now ravaged by time, the property still stands a mile or so from the home of director Steven Spielberg; one of the most haunting landmarks in Los Angeles, it will soon be turned into a picnic area for hikers, the 'Sunday Express' reported.

Historian Randy Young said: "This was supposed to be the seat of American fascism from where Hitler would one day rule the US. They may've been Nazis but they're Nazis with taste."

In 1933, the 55-acre ranch was sold by screen cowboy Will Rogers to mining fortune heiress Jessie Murphy who later became enchanted by a charismatic German known only as Herr Schmidt who was secretly Hitler's special agent in California.

Hitler's man in Hollywood persuaded her to invest US dollars four million to equip the property with a diesel power plant, a 375,000 gallon concrete water tank, bomb shelter and 22 bedrooms.

The plan was to turn it into a fascist Utopia where they and their Nazi friends could farm the land and live self -sufficiently far from the world's gaze until their big moment came, say the historians.

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